A terror attack in Jammu has claimed the lives of five soldiers, with a massive manhunt currently underway to apprehend the suspects. The attack took place on Thursday when an Army vehicle was fired upon by unidentified militants while traveling in the Rajouri sector. The Army has confirmed that the militants took advantage of heavy rains and low visibility in the area.
Reports from the defence and security establishment suggest that Jaish-e-Mohammad’s proxy outfit, People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), has claimed responsibility for the attack, though this has yet to be verified. The central government had declared PAFF a terrorist organization in January of this year.
The Northern Command of the Army has issued a statement confirming the death of five personnel from the Rashtriya Rifles Unit, with another seriously injured. The slain soldiers have been identified as Havildar Mandeep Singh, Lance Naik Debashish Baswal, Kulwant Singh, Sepoys Harkrishan Singh, and Sewak Singh.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed his anguish at the attack, and a multi-agency manhunt involving security forces is currently underway to locate the suspects. Graphic visuals purportedly of the truck on fire and the dead soldiers have been shared on social media.
The attack is particularly significant given that it occurred on the same day Pakistan confirmed its Foreign Minister’s upcoming visit to India for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Foreign Ministers’ Meeting next month.
The Chenab Times News Desk